Aston Villa V West Brom at Villa Park : Match Preview

30 September 2012 02:52

Holman available for Villa
Aston Villa winger Brett Holman has recovered from injury in time for Sunday's Barclays Premier League derby with West Brom at Villa Park.
Holman missed the midweek Capital One Cup win at Manchester City with a knee problem.
Midfielder Stephen Ireland is again ruled out with the cracked bone in his wrist suffered at Southampton last weekend although he should be fit after the forthcoming international break.
Full-back Joe Bennett picked up a knock to his leg at the Etihad Stadium and will be assessed by the Villa medical staff before any decision is taken on his fitness.
Gabriel Agbonlahor impressed with two goals against City after recovering from knee ligament damage suffered during the pre-season tour of the United States.
He now will challenge the likes of #18million record signing Darren Bent and recent #7million arrival Christian Benteke to face the Baggies, although manager Paul Lambert believes all three can play together.
Lambert said: "Everyone's in same boat, I don't have any favourites. I have a group of players whom I trust, no matter who I play.
"It doesn't matter to me who's worth what. It's about who performs on a given day or is performing. The team is more important than any individual.
"That's always the case and we have to get a winning team.
"I hear the Ryder Cup lads talking at the moment, and they're not individuals, they're a team, they want to win. Football's exactly the same. You win as a team, you lose as a team.
"You try to generate competition for everybody, not just among the strikers, but among the midfielders, even on the bench.
"You have to create that vibe that, if you don't perform, then there's somebody there. That's the only way you can get the best out of people.
"As long as they stick together, because everybody will get used, then if they buy into that you won't go far wrong."
West Brom's full-back injury crisis appears to be easing with summer signing Goran Popov and Liam Ridgewell making good progress.
Popov has been able to train for the past two days after a groin problem while Ridgewell's thigh injury is not as serious as first feared.
Midfielder James Morrison (hamstring) is also likely to be available, number two goalkeeper Boaz Myhill is ruled out for two weeks after undergoing minor surgery on a thumb injury while striker Peter Odemwingie completes a three-match ban.
Manager Steve Clarke and Lambert were briefly team-mates nearly a quarter of a century ago at St Mirren and will now cross swords in the dugout for the first time.
Clarke said: "We've had a good start and Villa have had an okay start. You can't say they've had a bad start.
"They've had enough decent results to show what Paul is trying to do there is starting to work.
"Their trend is upwards. I've watched a few of their videos leading into this match and you can see the team is starting to play the way Paul would like them to play."